Curious about the largest jackpot ever won in your state? If so, look no further! Here at Lottonia we have compiled a list of the biggest lottery winnings in every state. Trust us, the amounts will surprise you.
So without further ado, let’s get started.
The biggest lottery winnings in every state
Arizona: $414 millions
The largest jackpot won on a single ticket in Arizona was a Mega Millions prize on June 9, 2020. This $414 million prize was claimed by a couple from Glenda who wished to remain anonymous. The winning lottery ticket was also the first Mega Millions jackpot ever won in Arizona.
Arkansas: $177 million
On April 1st, also known as April Fool’s Day, a Texas man hit the Mega Millions jackpot. Eliberto Cantu won $177 million, the largest lottery prize ever won in Arkansas. Imagine coming home on April Fool’s Day and announcing that you won $177 million. Do you think anyone would believe you?
California: 2.04 billion dollars
When it comes to big winners… California takes the cake. In 2022, Powerball player Edwin Castro won $2.04 billion. The largest lottery prize in the United States and the world. The winner chose a lump sum of $997.6 million.
Colorado: $133.2 million
67-year-old Judy Finchum made her lottery dreams come true in Colorado. After playing the same numbers for more than 30 years, she hit a Powerball jackpot of $133.2 million. Finchum chose to take a lump sum payment and walked away with $84,607,397.
Connecticut: $254.2 million
Three Belpointe entrepreneurs shared a $254.2 million Powerball jackpot on November 2. Greg Skidmore of Greenwich, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson identified themselves as trustees of the Putnam Avenue Family Trust.
Delaware: $214.7 million
In October 2004, a group of 33 employees of a Seaford printing company won a Powerball jackpot of $214.7 million. They chose to remain anonymous and received their prize in a single cash payment of $116.9 million. The 33 winners split the prize equally, each receiving $2,657,754.
Florida: $1.602 billion
The year 2023 smiled on Florida when a single player won the Mega Millions jackpot of $1.602 billion ($794.2 million cash). It’s the largest Mega Millions jackpot and the third in the United States. The winner remained anonymous but opted for a one-time payment of $794,248,882.
Georgia: $324 million
In 2013, two Mega Millions players hit the $648 million jackpot. Ira Curry of Stone Mountain, east of Atlanta, was one of the winners. Although Curry had to split the prize, she still walked away with a staggering $324 million, making her the Giorgia’s biggest lottery winner.
Idaho: $220 million
Nearly 20 years ago, Idaho celebrated its largest lottery prize. In May 2005, Brad Duke won the $220 million Powerball prize. Instead of splurging on mansions and sports cars, Duke invested his money wisely. Today, Duke is one of the nation’s billionaires.
Illinois: $1.337 billion
The good fortune of 2022 wasn’t just for Powerball players. Prior to the historic Powerball jackpot, a Mega Millions player won $1.337 billion, the largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois and the fourth largest Mega Millions prize.
Indiana: $536 million
In 2016, a family from Indiana won the $536 million Mega Millions jackpot and chose to remain anonymous. They claimed the prize in a one-time lump sum payment of $378 million, with a final payout of about $271 million after taxes.
Iowa: $350 million.
In 2018, Lerynne West, a single mother from Iowa, nearly lost $350 million. She was one of two winners of the $687.8 million Powerball jackpot. West secured $350 million, but nearly lost the winning ticket in her sister’s truck. Fortunately, she was able to retrieve it. Can you imagine losing a prize like that?
Kansas: $216 million
In 2012, Kansas was one of three states where three tickets matched the winning numbers for the Mega Millions jackpot. The $656 million prize was split evenly, with each winner taking home $216 million. The Kansas winner became the player who won the largest lottery prize in the state. He chose the cash option and collected the $157 million prize.
Kentucky: $128 million
Christmas 2009 was a memorable one for Rob Anderson and his wife. They won $128 million in the December 26th drawing. The Andersons said they had been playing for over 12 years, but never imagined winning such a large prize. The couple chose the lump sum option, which is worth $63 million.
Louisiana: $191 million
In Louisiana, a family won a $191 million Powerball jackpot. This prize was recognized by the Louisiana State Lottery as the largest ever won in its history. The family chose a lump sum payment of $119 million. After state and federal taxes, the payment would be nearly $84 million.
Maine: $1.348 billion
For many people, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. However, this day has brought a lot of luck to Mega Millions players. The best example of this is the $1.348 billion jackpot ($723.5 million in cash) that was won that day in the state of Maine. This is the first Mega Millions jackpot ever won in the state and the largest in its history.
Maryland: $731.1 million
It took four months after the Powerball drawing for the $731.1 million jackpot to be claimed. In May 2021, a group of anonymous winners known as The Power Plack claimed Maryland’s largest lottery prize. They chose the lump sum cash option of $546.8 million, or about $366.6 million after federal and state taxes.
Massachusetts: $758 million
In Massachusetts, Mavis Wanczyk holds the current record for the largest lottery jackpot. In 2017, she was the sole winner of a $758 million Powerball jackpot. She chose the $480.5 million lump sum. Wanczyk walked away with approximately $120.1 million after taxes.
Michigan: $1.05 billion
$1.05 billion is the largest lottery prize in Michigan history. It was won by an Oakland County lottery club called The Wolverine FLL Club’s. The winners opted to receive their prize as a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $776 million instead of receiving the full amount in annuity payments.
Minnesota: $229 million
In August 2011, the lives of Thomas and Kathleen Morris of Burnsville changed forever when they hit the Powerball jackpot. During a press conference, Kathleen mentioned that they were facing some financial difficulties that made their retirement plans seem out of reach. But the $229 million jackpot changed everything, and Thomas’ first move was to retire.
Mississippi: $524,976
The largest Mississippi Lottery prize was $524,976. This winning ticket for the Mississippi Match 5, worth over half a million dollars, was sold at Ramey’s, located at 100 Highway 11 North in Poplarville.
Missouri: $293.8 million
Cindy and Mark Hill, a Missouri couple, won half of a record-breaking $587.5 million Powerball jackpot. The Hills claimed $293.8 million before taxes and chose a lump sum payment of $193 million.
Montana: $48.5 million
Kim Claassen and Joe Lamport Jr. became Montana’s biggest Powerball winners on June 23, 2010. They took home half of a $96 million Powerball jackpot, with the other winning ticket sold in Ohio. By choosing the lump sum, they received $25 million instead of the $48.5 million annuity option.
Nebraska: $365 million
The largest jackpot won in Nebraska was in February 2006. A group of eight employees at ConAgra Foods in Lincoln won a $365 million Powerball jackpot. The winners chose the cash prize and each received about $15.5 million after taxes.
New Hampshire: $560 million
In 2021, a woman from New Hampshire won $560 million on a Powerball ticket. She chose to remain anonymous and generously donated a significant portion of her winnings to charity.
New Jersey: $533 million
The largest jackpot in New Jersey history, $533 million, was won by Richard Wahl. Wahl had only lived in New Jersey for a year and had only played Mega Millions twice in his life. What luck! He chose the $324 million lump sum and took home $175 million after taxes.
New Mexico: $206.9 million
In 2009, a group of nine friends from Albuquerque won a Powerball jackpot of $206.9 million. The biggest lottery prize ever won in New Mexico. The winners chose to take the $102.9 million lump sum.
New York: $476 million
Johnnie Taylor, a 71-year-old from Howard Beach, Queens, has won the record Mega Millions jackpot in New York. In the April 14, 2023 drawing, Taylor matched all 6 numbers and won $476 million. It’s the largest prize ever won in New York State. He chose to take a lump sum of $157 million after taxes.
North Carolina: $344.6 million
In 2019, Charles Jackson of Raleigh won the lottery using numbers from a fortune cookie. Yes, you heard it right – he used numbers from his stepdaughter’s old fortune cookie and bought a Powerball ticket. Jackson, 66, won the $344.6 million jackpot, making him the biggest winner in North Carolina lottery history. It just goes to show that luck can be found anywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open.
North Dakota: $3 million
$3 million is the North Dakota’s largest lottery prize. An anonymous player hit all five white balls in the May 17, 2016 drawing and also added the optional Megaplier.
Ohio: $372 million
The December 17, 2019 drawing made history in Ohio, resulting in the largest lottery prize ever won in the state. One lucky person in Ohio won the Mega Millions jackpot of $372 million (just $251.5 million if you want it in cash). What a holiday gift!
Oklahoma: $105.8 million
Back in June 2007, a couple from Oklahoma won $105.8 million in Powerball. Harvey and his wife, Joyce, said they would pay off bills, help family members, and consider buying a new home with their winnings. They chose to receive a $33.3 million lump sum after taxes.
Oregon: $340 million
Two Southern Oregon families hold the record for the largest lottery jackpot in Oregon. In October 2005, the West and Chaney families matched 6 Powerball numbers and won $340 million.The families chose the lump sum cash option, which came out to $110 million after taxes.
Pennsylvania: $516 million
In May 2021, a group of 5 people won the Mega Millions jackpot of $516 million. This is Pennsylvania’s biggest prize.The group chose the lump sum payment option and received $254,233,980 after taxes.
Puerto Rico: $127 million
Just a year after Powerball became available in Puerto Rico, someone managed to win one of the coveted jackpots. In 2015, three players from Puerto Rico, North Carolina, and Texas won the $564.1 million Powerball jackpot. The winners chose the lump sum option and each received $127 million before taxes. This was also the first Powerball jackpot ever won outside the continental United States.
Rhode Island: $336.4 million
In 2012, 81-year-old Louise White became the winner of the largest lottery prize in Rhode Island. White won the $336.4 million Powerball jackpot, which at the time was the third-largest Powerball lottery in the game’s history. She chose to take the $210 million lump sum instead of the 30 annuity payments over 29 years.
South Carolina: $1.537 billion jackpot
A single ticket sold in Simpsonville, S.C. won a Mega Millions jackpot on October 23, 2018. This $1.537 billion jackpot is the 5th largest lottery jackpot in U.S. The winner chose to remain anonymous and claimed their prize in a single payment of $877,784,124.
South Dakota: $232 million
Neal Wanless, a 23-year-old cowboy, won the Powerball jackpot in 2009. Wanless said he bought his ticket on a routine trip to buy cattle feed. And he never imagined that ticket would win $232 million – the largest lottery jackpot ever won in South Dakota.
Tennessee: $528.8 million
In 2018, John and Lisa Robinson shared a $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot with two other winners from California and Florida. The fourth largest lottery jackpot in the United States. The Robinsons took the lump sum of the $528.8 million prize, for a total of just over $327 million.
Texas: $360 million
$360 million from Mega Millions is the largest prize won by a Texas Lottery player. The prize was claimed by a lucky person in South Dakota who chose to remain anonymous. The winner chose the cash option and received $157,367,045 before taxes.
U.S. Virgin Islands: $2 million
A St. Croix resident won $2 million in the Powerball drawing. The lucky player matched the first five numbers but missed the Powerball. The ticket’s Match 5 resulted in a $1 million prize, which was doubled by the lottery because the player paid an extra dollar for the Power Play option.
Vermont: $366 million
The first Powerball jackpot won in Vermont is also the largest lottery prize in state. In 2022, a single ticket sold at the Middlebury Short Stop in Middlebury won $366 million. The winner chose a lump sum payment of $208.5 million.
Virginia: $239 million
J. R. and Peggy Triplett of Winchester have won the largest Virginia Lottery prize ever. The Triplets won the Mega Millions jackpot of $239 million on February 20, 2004. They chose the $141.5 million cash option.
Washington: $747 million
In February of 2023, Becky Bell won the $747 million Powerball jackpot. Bell, a 36-year Boeing employee, decided to buy the ticket because her company had just delivered its last 747 jumbo jet six days earlier. She saw it as a sign of destiny, and she was right.
Washington D.C: $144 million
The largest prize ever awarded by the Washington D.C. Lottery was $144 million in 2009. The winner was an 82-year-old Powerball player who had lived in D.C. his entire life. The winner wished to remain anonymous and chose the cash option, totaling over $79 million.
West Virginia: $314.9 million
On Christmas Eve 2002, Jack Whittaker of West Virginia won the state’s largest lottery jackpot to date. Whittaker won $314.9 million, which at the time was the largest U.S. jackpot. He chose to take a lump sum payment of $113 million after taxes.
Wisconsin: $768.4 million
In 2019, the largest lottery prize in Wisconsin history was won. 24-year-old Manuel Franco won the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot. This prize is also the tenth largest jackpot in the United States. Franco chose to take a lump sum payment of $477 million.
Wyoming:
Wyoming’s biggest ticket prize to date was sold in March 2016. One lucky player won $5 million playing Mega Millions. This was also the first Mega Millions prize won in the state since its launch in 2014.
And you may be wondering why we did not include Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah in our list of the biggest lottery winnings in every state. Well, unfortunately, these states do not sell lottery tickets.
Want to know who the biggest Mega Millions winners are? Check out our list of the 10 biggest Mega Millions winners in history.
Summing up…
Well, this is it. These are the biggest lottery winnings in every state. Remember, the jackpots keep growing and you could be the next winner… Of course, always play smart and responsibly.